Northern Spain and Galicia particularly has long been an undiscovered jewel in the whole of the Spanish tourism industry. All over Northern Spain the climate is much more moderate than the rest of the Iberian Peninsula and the autonomous regions that make up this area of the country have exactly what it takes to help visiting tourists have a good time.
With regards to Galicia you have a region where you have a rugged coastline with extremely attractive sandy beaches whilst inland the mountainous regions provide a completely different experience for the visitor.
Of all of the autonomous regions of Spain it is understandable given its location that Galicia is considered the most remote. Galicia is a region of contrasts in that in the one extreme you have a rugged beautiful coastline mixed with gorgeous beaches whilst inland you have beautiful mountain scenery.
As well as beautiful scenery in Galicia you have excellent cuisine especially the seafood whilst at the same time you have right on your doorstep one of the most visited religious pilgrimage sites in the world at Santiago de Compostela. This particular pilgrimage site has actually generated a vast tourist industry all of its own that is vital to the economic viability of the region.
The Galicians, whose origins are Celtic, are fiercely proud of their culture and language.
Historically, always classed as the poorer cousin to some of the other richer regions Galicia had an economy that did not easily lend itself to modernisation. It absorbed little in the way of outside influence being fiercely resistant to all forms of outside intervention, was never conquered by the Moors, and in the Middle Ages fell under the control of the kingdom of Asturias. Apart from a brief interlude in the 11th and 10th centuries when Galicia fell briefly under the rule of the kingdom of Asturias, Galicia has always been an independent region.
One of the problems with Galicia as with some of the other remote communities in Western Europe lies within its geographical constraints. As with a lot of the major Celtic communities in Western Europe after a while the major industry became emigration.
Thankfully slowly throughout the 20th century Galicia has begun to develop a way in which to manage the traditional lifestyles with a modern community to ensure that none of its rich history is lost.
The port cities of and Corunna which are widely appreciated to be centres of culture and industry within Galicia. As befits a province that has such reliance on the sea, the seafood here is amongst the best in Spain and fishing is vital to the economy.
As well as the major ports the coastline of Galicia is dotted with tiny little fishing villages. The coast which was devastated by the damage caused by the 2002 sinking of the oil tanker Prestige has now by almost recovered and in some cases is almost better than ever.
The major geographical point on the Galician coastline is probably Cape Finisterre which is the westernmost part of the Spanish mainland. Inland the region is dotted with ancient Celtic settlements which can be found in the often mist shrouded hillsides. At road junctions and in towns throughout the region stand various old stone crosses and in the villages old stone granaries are quite commonplace.
The whole Celtic culture in Galicia is completed by the sound of the favourite instrument of Galicia, the bag pipes and their language, Gallego, is an amalgam almost of Portuguese and the various other Gaelic tongues and there is an extremely strong link between Galicia and some of the other Celtic Countries of North Western Europe.
Again this love of the arts and culture is very similar with other Celtic regions. This is further exemplified with the slight theme of melancholy running through quite often the words and music of the region. For those who find this a concept difficult to understand and view it as being purely depressing and boring then you have to try and understand the traditional background to the entire region and realize the centuries of hardship that these communities have had to withstand and as a result have manifested themselves in their traditional words music.
Sometimes we move by one set of steps, making grand sweeping gestures as we go. Another time we take the opposite path and close in much tighter and with greater focus and precision. It's a weaving in and out as we create our life's tapestry.
It isn't a dance you'd recognize, but it most definitely is a dance. And we've each been doing it since the start of our times, creating as we go. Part of that creating was set down for us long before we arrived, by parents who had their own patterns of accumulating and letting go.
We grew up with examples laid down before us to accept, to change or to turn our backs to. I did a great deal of the latter in my college days. How about you?
What I didn't realize, though, was just how much accepting I had done - both consciously and unconsciously - before leaving the nest. You probably did the same.
*The Parent Connection*
I grew up in the '50s and '60s, in a family whose rules and mannerisms were absorbed rather than laid down. I knew what was expected of me and what would happen if my behavior disappointed. Nothing had to be said for the rules to stick.
Now I have to say that my parents were wonderful, gentle people who would probably be appalled at the thought of passing on anything that was less than supportive to me or to my brother. In all likelihood, they were no more conscious of the fact they were carrying around and spreading limiting ideas or values than was I way back then...but trust me . . . we were!
And much of what was contained in these "rules" passed quite simply for what my parents considered to be "politeness," "generosity," or "common courtesy." These were the insipid ones. though.
*A Quick Example*
Let me explain with a quick example: Last week I paid for 30 minutes of one-to-one time with a fairly well known internet marketing "guru." During this call she proceeded to tear apart my website - and me by association (or so I internalized). I didn't see it coming because that wasn't the purpose of our call. Within the first 10 minutes, however, I felt as if I'd been drawn, quartered and hung out for the circling buzzards to feast upon. All in all, it was a learning experience.
What didn't strike me until I'd had a chance to step back from it all was something quite amazing. Every time she landed another blow, I thanked her! I actually thanked her over and over and over again for every negative she handed to me!
I was astounded at this revelation! Yet, I shouldn't have been. Years ago, I had learned well the family rules and they continued to hold sway in my responses. With as much as I know about letting go, the rules of my childhood still governed my actions. My mother would be so proud - or would she?
No matter how good we get at letting go of our parents' influences - the ones that don't serve us well - some are very difficult to shake. I grew up in a polite time, in a polite household, where making waves was not looked upon positively. (I know. I HAVE made a lot of waves in my time, and hopefully always will!)
*Accumulating and Letting Go*
We accumulate and we let go. Things. Beliefs. Values. We accumulate and we let go. Our upbringing. Our life experiences. Where we are in our lives and where and how we connect with the history of our parents. We accumulate and we let go.
Sometimes it's easy and sometimes it seems nearly impossible to let go of those parts of us - of our aging parents - that no longer nurture the person we've become...or want to become.
I've made a commitment to ending the accumulation... and I'm sure the US government will learn to deal with my blow to the national economy!
It's the letting go that challenges and inspires my life at present. So much of what my parents gave me transcends the letting go - because it's of them at the core. Other parts, though...well, to my mind, it's long past time!
So, right here and now, I'm going to commit to letting go of the following:
- Unnecessary politeness in the face of ugliness. That's not to say I won't continue to be courteous. I'll just be more selective.
- Anything that in any way calls for me to sacrifice my belief in myself.
- Internalized restrictions on making waves. Making waves shows that there's movement underfoot. All hail wave-making!
- My interpretation of negatives. Rather than accepting them as true and internalizing their effects, I will reframe the negatives and take back their power over me.
- Negative ideas, thoughts and comments. In all cases, I'll look for what's immediately useful and let go of the rest. (I recognize that this isn't easy, because I tend to hold on to and chew on the negatives till they're total mush in my mouth. From now on, though, I'm going to do my best to spit them out and walk away.)
These may, at first blush, seem to be small steps. Don't believe it! AND, they're just the start. I invite you to create some of your own. Letting go is much more fun as a group activity.
There are things we want to - and should - hold on to, and things that should have been let go of long ago. The great part of growing older is that we've lived long enough to know the difference - and to act on the realization.
Our parents did their part. I doubt they truly meant to pass on some of the things we ended up accumulating - or for some for the things we accumulated to cause difficulty in our lives. We don't need their permission to let go of these things. Actually, I have a feeling they'd probably be our biggest cheerleaders as we let go!
So, go ahead. Let go of the less-than-useful ideas, beliefs and values that were passed down to you and that have a hold on you. Let them go and see how many more positive ideas, beliefs and values you start accumulating in their place - those that are truly worth holding on to.
Everything old is indeed new again...and not at all the same.
Both Stephenstewart & Gail Mcconnon are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.